Amateur radio (aka - HAM) has its roots in emergency communication during national disasters and/or emergencies. The broadcast range is much greater than any other, depending upon the frequency, can communicate around the world using satellites.
It requires taking an exam to get a license, relatively easy on the grand scheme of things IMHO. See this link for more information.
ARRLWeb: ARRL Home Page
For off-roaders, it provides a higher level of security, knowing communications are capable of distances more than 10x that of a CB, considering max power for a CB is 5w and a 2 meter Ham radio can be 75w. Power equals distance in simplified terms. With the use of a repeater, one can transmit hundreds of miles. On the trail, one could easily cover all of areas like Tellico or Harlan with a handheld radio, let alone a mobile unit.
For a trip in Uwharrie, we could easily talk with people at group B campground from anywhere in the park. Its my feeling that we have been pretty lucky to not have any type of emergency situation to deal with. While on a trip in CO, we had a member of our group going into altitude sickness and it was nice to be able to communicate with EMS and have them meet us at the trailhead with oxygen and able to administer an IV to the gentlemen although there was no cell phone coverage and CB radios wouldn't reach into the town of Ouray.
There are people that do amazing things with the technology, talk to the astronauts on the space station, communicate with people on the other side of the planet, connect to the internet while in the wilderness and send emails from Everest and such. When you watch shows of climbers going up Everest, they use handheld Ham radios to communicate with base camp. I don't think I'll ever get that heavy into it but it is nice to have a way to communicate in case of an emergency.
Hope this helps some...
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